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Douglas, N. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Douglas, N. A..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

Target enrichment and extensive population sampling help untangle the recent, rapid radiation of Oenothera sect. Calylophus

Oenothera sect. Calylophus is a North American group of 13 recognized taxa in the evening primrose family (Onagraceae) with an evolutionary history that may include independent origins of bee pollination, edaphic endemism, and permanent translocation heterozygosity. Like other groups that radiated relatively recently and rapidly, taxon boundaries within Oenothera sect. Calylophus have remained challenging to circumscribe. In this study, we used target enrichment, flanking non-coding regions, summary coalescent methods, tests for gene flow modified for target-enrichment data, and morphometric analysis to reconstruct phylogenetic hypotheses, evaluate current taxon circumscriptions, and examine character evolution in Oenothera sect. Calylophus. Because sect. Calylophus comprises a clade with a relatively restricted geographic range, we were able to extensively sample across the range of geographic and morphological diversity in the group. We found that the combination of exons and flanking non-coding regions led to improved support for species relationships. We reconstructed potential hybrid origins of some accessions and note that if processes such as hybridization are not taken into account, the number of inferred evolutionary transitions may be artificially inflated. We recovered strong evidence for multiple origins of the evolution of bee pollination from ancestral hawkmoth pollination, the evolution of edaphic specialization on gypsum, and permanent translocation heterozygosity. This study applies newly emerging techniques alongside dense infraspecific sampling and morphological analyses to effectively address a relatively common but recalcitrant problem in evolutionary biology.

evolutionary biology↗

Disparity, Diversity, And Duplications In The Caryophyllales

O_LIThe role whole genome duplication (WGD) plays in the history of lineages is actively debated. WGDs have been associated with advantages including superior colonization, various adaptations, and increased effective population size. However, the lack of a comprehensive mapping of WGDs within a major plant clade has led to uncertainty regarding the potential association of WGDs and higher diversification rates.\nC_LIO_LIUsing seven chloroplast and nuclear ribosomal genes, we constructed a phylogeny of 5,036 species of Caryophyllales, representing nearly half of the extant species. We phylogenetically mapped putative WGDs as identified from analyses on transcriptomic and genomic data and analyzed these in conjunction with shifts in climatic niche and lineage diversification rate.\nC_LIO_LIThirteen putative WGDs and twenty-seven diversification shifts could be mapped onto the phylogeny. Of these, four WGDs were concurrent with diversification shifts, with other diversification shifts occurring at more recent nodes than WGDs. Five WGDs were associated with shifts to colder climatic niches.\nC_LIO_LIWhile we find that many diversification shifts occur after WGDs it is difficult to consider diversification and duplication to be tightly correlated. Our findings suggest that duplications may often occur along with shifts in either diversification rate, climatic niche, or rate of evolution.\nC_LI

evolutionary biology↗